Star Swap
by Katie House
Summary: My own character from the Star Wars universe is mysteriously transported to a different universe altogether. One where there are Klingons, Bajorans, and Earthlings, oh my...
1. Enter the Plot

The net whipped over her head as she tried to crawl away, if only to reach the safety of her mother… but her mother wasn't safe. She _caused_ this... why? Didn't she love her? Did she do something wrong? Yelling men, ropes wrapped around her arms to restrain her, darkness as a bag was placed over her head.

Then blinding light, blue light, snaps and hisses and screaming metal and raised voices.

Quiet… and then her restraints loosened, and the hood lifted to see the face of a man. A hard, kind man…

Florentina Men'Dez woke from her dream with a start. She wiped the tears from her eyes and hoped that none could hear her from the neighboring rooms. Thankfully here at the Skywalker Academy trainees were given their own living quarters. The room was too claustrophobic for Lori while she was in this present state, so she made her way unfalteringly to her window. It was several stories above the forest floor, but without fear she made her way to the rooftop. This was her favorite place to cleanse the dreams of her past from her mind. Lori even dropped off to sleep lying back against the rooftop, waiting for the dawn of a new day to arrive.

Lori was awakened by the sun shining full on her face. She stood and stretched, moving to another part of the roof, smelling the morning air and listening to the Jedi and droids several feet below her. She could also sense Jacen and Jaina approaching the cafeteria. It was flattering how Jacen was enamored of her, but Lori had so much respect for Jaina that she would stay away from her brother even if he did have a large crush on her. Lori quickly ran her fingers through her long ebony hair to make is more presentable, and quickly tucked it up into a twisted knot to keep it out of her face.

Sizing up the distance between the rooftop and the ledge below her, Lori rolled forward off the rooftop and hung by her fingertips next to the window into the dining room. With practiced ease she flipped into the room – she tried to be as quiet as possible, but Jacen's hypersensitive Force powers were attuned to her presence and he felt her come into the room. His eyes widened at her acrobatics, and Lori smiled modestly and grabbed for a piece of fruit with the Force.

"Good morning, Floooorentina!" Jaina crowed.

"Out for a little exercise, were we?" Jacen asked, a little crease of worry on his forehead.

"Good morning, and sort of. I've been having those bad dreams again, so I went up onto the rooftops to clear my head." Lori quickly moved onto other topics before Jacen would ask exactly what those dreams were about. She didn't want to reveal her past if she didn't have to…

The trio talked of Jaina's upcoming flight home with her dad, Han Solo, to see their mother and pick up some spare parts for a space shuttle she was working on. "I'm really excited to see Mom and Dad… but I'll be sorry to leave you guys." Jaina grinned at Lori. "You'll have to take care of my bro here while I'm gone." Lori laughed and Jacen blushed, and at that moment both Jacen and Jaina had a slight tremor. "Dad's here!" They chorused, and the three ran out of there, leaving confused students in their wake.

Han Solo was just making his way down the Millenium Falcon's boarding ramp when two of his children attacked him and each clamored for attention.

"Hey, settle down! Good to see you too, kiddos." Han laughed as he hugged his children, and when he looked up he spied Lori standing awkwardly at the door to the hangar bay.

"Florentina, get over here for a hug, too." Han called, and Lori smiled and went over to be joined into the group hug, just like family. The family she had never known.

Jaina quickly left with her father – Han and Chewbacca had some New Republic business in a nearby system, so they had to keep moving. Lori was able to say hi to Chewbacca before they left; they had found common interests in navigation and mechanical devices on the Falcon's last stop to Yavin, and Chewie usually had a gruff growl and a hairy hug ready for her when they met. As the Falcon blasted off through the atmosphere, Jacen turned to Lori and grinned widely.

"So Lori, I've got an idea for something we could do today!" The trainees had the day off – Master Skywalker was in a long conference with the other Masters of the Academy.

"Great! What's the plan?" Lori asked, and in reply Jacen grabbed her hand and sprinted to the far end of the hangar bay.

"Jacen! This is Jaina's ship… you know, the one she hasn't stopped working on in the past month? It's not finished yet, and she's still got to test out that new propulsion drive that she repaired, but your dad will never say yes… what's that look in your eye for?" Lori trailed off, because Jacen's roguish grin didn't look like it could get any wider before his face would split right in half.

"Ha! She only _thought_ it didn't work! It really does, and since I know Dad would be really unhappy with her testing it out, I was thinking we could for her, and then when she gets back it will be all ready for her to fly it! What do you think?" Jacen asked, but he laughed at the expression on her face. Lori gave him a huge hug and said excitedly, "So what are we waiting for?"

Lori was modest, but it was the rumor around the Academy that she was even a better pilot than Jaina. Jaina was a fantastic pilot, but Lori could make any ship respond to her as if she were communicating directly with the onboard computer. Soon she was zooming off into the atmosphere in Jaina's ship and talking to Jacen over the headset. There was no droid on the ship with her, because this was just going to be a quick trip to test this new device Jaina had assembled. There was absolutely nothing to worry about, but Han had never been a fan of letting his daughter try out her own inventions. Jacen and Lori knew for a fact that the engine was perfectly fine, so here was a way to have it tested out and ready for Jaina to fly when she got back.

Nevertheless, Lori could feel the worry emanating from Jacen as she moved through the upper atmosphere and into space. She laughed softly and sent comforting thoughts back down to him through the Force. "Jacen, don't worry! The ship will be fine!"

Jacen shook his head back on Yavin as he monitored the computer readouts. "The ship's not what I'm worried about," he muttered without turning his headset on.

Lori flipped the toggle for the pre-ignition sequence starter, and her hand hovered over the ignition switch. "We've checked it a hundred times. Nothing could possibly go wro-"

Yavin was gone. The sun was gone. The entire SYSTEM was gone, according to her computer. The deepest black of outer space smothered her in her cockpit, the weak lights of a dying console not doing much to illuminate the situation. Lori tried to get her bearings; was she asleep? Was she… dead! A quick pinch made her realize that it was none of the above.

"Okay, so where am I?" Lori pressed back her feelings of panic… but she couldn't _sense_ anyone, either! Oh Jacen, where are you…? Lori called out in her mind. No answer, just the chilling darkness of space.

Master Luke had briefly talked of something like this. He told a story of when he was trapped in space and minimal life support – a glance at the computer readings confirmed this – and Luke had put himself into a Force-induced coma, a state where he would remain alive but with very little effort on his body's part. Lori had been fascinated by this use of the Force, and asked Luke how to do it. While it was advanced Force technique, she quickly grasped the concept and learned how to do it after only a few private lessons with Luke. She wasn't quite proficient yet, but she could do the basics.

Lori programmed the computer to wake her if something approached the ship and set up her distress signal, and then flipped the rest of the computer off. Might as well conserve power while she still could. The signal was weak, but Lori did not despair. She would NOT cry. The Force would guide her out of this one… she just needed to give it time. She wrapped her long hair around her neck like a scarf as she calmed her mind and enfolded herself into the Force. She was instantly asleep in a death-like state, hand resting on her lightsaber hilt, not knowing if she would ever wake again.


	2. Mysteries unfold

Captain Jean Luc Picard looked up at his first officer from over his steaming mug of tea.

"Yes sir, it's true, an entirely unknown ship. It's got a completely different molecular and structural makeup than anything in the computer." Commander Riker said. He was extremely puzzled about this turn of events, and a little frustrated – he had wanted to play a game of racquetball with that cute lieutenant from Medical. Just transferred and that cute little nose of hers…

Riker whipped his mind back to the present as the Captain rose from his chair. "Well, let's see it." Straightening his jacket the Captain strode out of his ready room and continued to the center of the bridge. He locked his eyes onto the viewscreen.

"Magnify, Mr. Data." Picard's eyes narrowed, "Data, do you have any relevant information from the computer yet?" he asked. The drifting ship filled the screen, almost a taunt at the crew's inability to identify it.

"Little information is available, sir. The make and model are unlike anything other design specifications known to the Federation, the metals are molecularly similar but as yet unidentifiable, power source unknown, mechanical failure is also unknown…"

"Yes, alright, thank you, Data. Keep on it and notify me of any progress." Picard said. He always loved a good mystery, and as this one didn't seem to be harming them – yet – he was going to enjoy this diversion. "Mr. Worf, time to arrival at starbase Alpha Centauri?"

Worf tapped the console and rumbled, "Eighteen hours, twenty minutes at our last speed of warp 3, sir. Before we stopped." Worf was nothing if not punctual, and this delay was surely not improving his Klingon temper.

Riker looked questioningly at his captain, and Picard glanced back at his first officer, a familiar look in his eyes.

"What the hell." Riker mumbled as he tapped his comlink. "Bridge to LaForge."

"LaForge here."

"Geordi, have you made any progress with identifying the phenomena yet?"

"No sir! I've been running as many probes as the bridge, but nothing conclusive yet. If the captain would okay it, we would get much more accurate readings if we could bring the ship on board. I don't know if he'd want to…"

"He does. Prepare docking bay three for an arrival. Bridge out." Riker glanced at Picard, but the captain was merely staring at the viewscreen. He suddenly turned to Couselor Troi and asked,

"Is there anyone on board?"

Troi shook her head. "When we first approached, I thought I may have felt something, but the longer we are here the more sure I am that it was nothing. Living creatures give off a distinct feeling, but I can't sense anything." She smiled. "In short, no."

Picard nodded. "However, just to be sure, I'd like a security team down there to meet it with the engineers." Riker glanced back at Worf, who grimaced – or was it a smile? – and headed for the turbolift.

Worf arrived at the docking bay in short order with Ensign Polaris to assist him. The engineering team was already preparing their equipment and listening to final instructions from LaForge. Geordi looked up when the two Security personnel came closer.

"Hi Worf. Sorry you have to baby-sit us for a while. Don't worry, it shouldn't take long to verify that we don't need you. There shouldn't be any surprises or anything on it – we would have detected those."

"That seems plausible, but Commander Riker thought it best that I accompany the engineering team in case of… difficulties."

Geordi couldn't tell if Worf was unhappy with his assignment or was just being a Klingon, so he tentatively smiled.

"All right then, we'll be as quick as we can. Here's the green light, okay, is everyone ready to go?" Geordi asked, and his crew nodded the affirmative.

The door to the docking bay slid open, and the crew walked into the bay, all the while staring at the ship resting delicately on the floor. The design was not unreasonable, just new to their eyes. Exchanging glances, the engineering crew got to work. Worf's hand hovered over his phaser, as did Ensign Polaris' hand over his own phaser, but the only thing in this room that needed protecting was the ship from the crew's invasive scanning. Geordi circled back around from behind the ship and tapped a few buttons on his tricorder. He looked up at Worf.

"Well, it sure isn't anything we've encountered so far. It's basic enough, but complex in that we have no idea what to do with it. Did the Captain say anything, or give any further instructions?"

Worf grunted. "He did not say anything about it within my hearing. All I know is that he did not seem as anxious as would have been expected to reach the starbase."

Geordi smiled and laughed inwardly. He could imagine the Captain's lack of enthusiasm for one of the lesser-exciting starbases in the galaxy… and to have a benign mystery fall into his path out of the blue like that would be a dream for the Captain.

"Well, we don't need your time any more, so when the Bridge calls, you can tell them that." Geordi smiled and moved off to set up another piece of equipment, leaving Worf and Polaris standing at ease near the door.

Worf sighed to himself. There were so many other things that he could be doing – even Polaris was above such mediocrity. He was an exceptional Ensign, young and strong and full of ambition. Worf could tell that he would rise through the ranks with speed. Polaris was watchful of the engineering crew; if he was bored, Worf was not able to detect it through his attitude.

"Bridge to Worf," the commlink on Worf's chest beeped out. Worf tapped it – a bit harder than nessesary, Polaris thought. He smiled inwardly at his superior's idiosyncrasies, while Worf barked "Yes sir."

"What's the status of our mystery ship? Are we clear to continue on course to starbase Alpha Centauri?" Picard asked.

"Yes sir. Lieutenant LaForge has cleared its safety, and all that remains is to increase our knowledge of it." After a brief hesitation, Worf continued, "Mr. LaForge also said that he would not be requiring our services any longer, you do not see any further use for a security presence." Polaris stifled the laughter threatening to bubble out of him, and instead focused on the engineering team, who were in the process of trying to open the main hatch. With no ready buttons or seals available, they were having a hard time of it. Geordi was puzzling over it with a diagnostic, trying to check the location of power to the clamps holding the hatch shut. Polaris returned his attention to Worf.

"I agree with Mr. LaForge. Return to the bridge to resume your duties. Bridge out." Worf nodded to Polaris and they turned for the exit. Polaris gave a look back at the ship – it would have been great to see more of it. Mysterious ships don't just appear every day!

The hanger door slid open, but their attention returned instantly to the engineering crew when one of the lieutenants gave a stifled scream. Worf's head whipped around to look back at the ship; the hatch was open, and an engineer had nearly fallen off the top of the ship. The look on her face was shock, and one of the other engineers was calming her down.

Worf ran over with Polaris close behind him, phaser drawn. However, the look on Geordi's face was not one of fear of assault… but something else. Geordi looked at them running over and waved a hand distractedly.

"Nothing to shoot at, don't worry. Just a bit of a shock, that's all. I… don't even know…" LaForge rambled off, scanning the cockpit with his tricorder.

This answer was not nearly good enough for Worf. He vaulted quickly to the top of the ship and looked inside, phaser ready no matter the assurances of his friend.

Inside was the body of a human female. Not a skeleton… but a body. Flesh, attached hair, no bloating or scent of death, either. He looked at Geordi, and got a look that was as puzzled as he felt. He tapped his commlink amid the hushed mutterings of the engineering crew.

"Worf to Bridge."

"Riker here. What is it, Worf?"

"Sir, there is a discrepancy with the ship."

There was silence for a moment. "Can you be a bit more specific, Lieutenant?"

Geordi piped into the conversation, "There is a… body inside the ship. Not a deceased body, but… well, a body. I recommend emergency quarantine."

"Right. Bridge out."

Up on the bridge, Riker looked at his captain as he gave the order for the emergency transport, and notified Dr. Crusher of the situation. Picard had been gauging Counselor Troi's reaction to the news, and the look of shock on her face was apparent. She looked at Picard with a strange expression.

"No sir, I still don't sense anything. That person has no feelings, no aura, of being alive, but why it's not dead... I can't explain it."

Picard nodded, and rose from his seat. "Mr. Data, you have the Bridge. Continue to monitor the status of the ship and its crewmember from here. Number One, you're with me."

"Aye, Captain," the two chorused, Data taking the Captain's seat and Riker following Picard to the turbolift. Troi instantly rose from her seat also and followed them onto the lift.

"Captain, do you have any ideas as to this situation?" Riker asked.

"No, Number One, I haven't got a single clue." Picard sighed, and then smiled at his friends. "But we've certainly got a mystery on our hands, don't we?" Riker grinned.

"We sure do, sir."


End file.
